Some early reviews of the Patriots

Saturday

Aug 3, 2013 at 8:34 PM

FOXBORO ó The Patriots players get the day off on Sunday, at least from the practice field. That does not mean work will come to a halt at Gillette Stadium.Film study, which has become such a huge part...

By PAUL KENYON

FOXBORO ó The Patriots players get the day off on Sunday, at least from the practice field. That does not mean work will come to a halt at Gillette Stadium.

Film study, which has become such a huge part of the job for everyone, will go on. This is the time of the year when teams study themselves, not their opponents. Eight practices into training camp, coaches have plenty of video to study to gauge how their players are progressing.

As the Patriots prepare to head to Philadelphia for four days this week to work against the Eagles, some players already have established their positions, while many still have work to do to earn a job. Here is one personís view, without benefit of film study, of what has happened so far:

Best players

Vince Wilfork: The senior member of the defense not only keeps rolling along, he seems to be as good as ever.

The five-time Pro Bowler is somewhat taken for granted because he has missed only six games in his nine years with the team. He should not be. He is a true foundation player. Coach Bill Belichick once again is experimenting with his defense, using all kinds of combinations and alignments. Wilfork is one constant he knows he can count on to perform at the highest level.

Whatís more, the former first-round draft pick has emerged as a leader off the field, a player who carries himself well and is one of the teamís leading spokesmen.

Danny Amendola: There were many Pats fans sad to see Wes Welker go. But Amendola is giving every indication that he will carry on the tradition, just wearing number 80 rather than 83.

Amendola is a couple inches taller than Welker, but plays very much in the same style as his fellow Texas Tech grad. When the Pats held a team scrimmage Saturday, the first two touchdowns of the day came on Tom Brady-to-Amendola passes.

The challenge for Amendola will be to be as durable as Welker. With their young receiving corps, the Pats need Amendola to stay on the field. If he does, it would not be a surprise to see his numbers rise to Welker levels.

Aqib Talib: The cornerback who came to the Patriots in the middle of last season with a checkered background, could have left. He was a free agent at the end of the season. He decided to return, not on a multi-year deal but for one year at $5 million.

The consensus was that Talib did not receive the big-money offer he was hoping for. His goal, obviously, is to prove he is worth it with a big year this year.

He is playing like someone with a point to prove. He has been terrific in camp. When he was healthy last season, the Pats regularly assigned him to the opponentís best receiver. If he can do that for a full season and play the way he has been in training camp, it would be a huge boost for the Pats.

Biggest surprises

Zach Sudfeld: The free agent tight end from Nevada, whose twin brother was a wide receiver for Brown, has come out of nowhere to be the best tight end in camp thus far.

Sudfeld had another big day Saturday in the team scrimmage, catching a number of passes from both Brady and Ryan Mallett and looking good as he did it. The Pats obviously need help at that position with Aaron Hernandez gone and Rob Gronkowski not yet ready to play. Sudfeld looks as if he not only will make the team but could earn playing time ahead of veterans Daniel Fells and Michael Hoomanawanui.

Kenbrell Thompkins: The Pats are searching for help at the wide receiver position and have a host of young receivers in camp. The two draft choices, Aaron Dobson and Josh Boyce, both have played well and are in the mix for playing time.

Thompkins, who comes out of Cincinnati, repeatedly has made big plays in camp, especially off the long ball. A 6-foot-1, 195-pounder, he looks to be the teamís best hope for a deep threat.

Marcus Benard: When the Patriots posted their team depth chart at the start of training camp, they listed Benard, a four-year veteran who had been with Cleveland, as a fourth-string defensive end behind Chandler Jones, Jermaine Cunningham and rookie Michael Buchanan.

Benard has not played that way. The 6-foot-2, 260-pounder has made play after play in both one-on-one drills and live action. He got his career off to a good start with the Browns with 11 sacks in his first two seasons. But he has been injured for almost all of the last two years. The Pats signed him to a future contract back in January. Now, Benard is earning himself notice with his work on the field.

Veterans on the bubble

Cunningham: The former second-round draft choice has shown flashes at times, but overall has been a disappointment in his career.

This is his contract year, so he has to produce to save his job. Thus far, at least, he has been outplayed by Benard. It has not helped that Cunningham was injured last week and has been unable to play in the last two practices.

Ras-I Dowling: Injury issues are an even bigger concern for this former second-round pick.

Dowling has presented a frustrating situation because he has looked good when he has been on the field. He is a big cornerback, at 6-1, 215, and clearly has the talent. However, he canít stay healthy.

He has played in only nine games in his first two seasons and is currently sidelined with injury issues. With more players than ever fighting for jobs in the defensive backfield, he needs to get back on the field to protect his spot.

Fells: The tight endís situation is complicated by money. He has a cap number of more than $1 million.

Fells has been a decent contributor and is having a solid camp. However, with Sudfeld playing well, the Pats might not want to pay big money to someone who would be only a limited contributor.

New guys who will help

Amendola: The more he and Brady work together, the better he looks. He might not have all of Welkerís inside moves, but he has shown more deep speed.

Jamie Collins and Dobson: The Pats have not had a great history with second-round draft picks (See Dowling and Cunningham above and add Ron Brace, Darius Butler and Terrence Wheatley to the list), but both of this yearís second-rounders are showing first-round talent.

Collins is an athlete who has become Belichickís favorite new toy during camp. Belichick is using him as a linebacker, both inside and out, and as a defensive end. He looks like a keeper. And so does Dobson, who at 6-3 gives the Pats size and speed as an outside receiver. The Pats have not had a lot of success in the past blending rookies in skill positions into their complicated offense, but Dobson looks like one guy who should help right away.

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